We are currently in the hills of Chiang Dao, about and hour and a half outside Chiang Mai. Since Tham Pha Plong Monastry is the closest outing to our resort, we decided to make that our activity for our first day here.

Ava and Kayan are so far away from the bustle of the city that they got straight to some tree hugging on our way to the monastery.

A visitor has to climb 510 steps to reach the chedi. Both kids started out really well.

There were plenty of inspirational messages along the way to keep us going.

And my favorite…

The kids were in great spirits, but the climb brought them to their knees at the end.

The monastery is set in serene forested surroundings, and the walk was completed worth every step. It’s the most peaceful time we’ve had on our trip so far.

Needless to say, the way down was a lot easier than the way up, but we treated ourselves to fresh lime and tamarind water for our efforts.

Mum (Buddha) says “Live in the present and enjoy!”
Dad (Budhoo) says “Enjoy the past and look forward to the future. The present was the future as you even entered it and is the past even as you live it.”